Contributions will support International Medical Corps efforts in Sierra Leone and Liberia

(BLACK PR WIRE) – SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is donating $150,000 to International Medical Corps to help fight the Ebola crisis in the West African countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Since the initial Ebola outbreak in the region in December of 2013, the virus has spread, with more than 9,000 confirmed cases of infection and more than 4,000 deaths. International Medical Corps has been delivering humanitarian support in West Africa since 1999 and is currently deploying medical professionals to treat patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola infection.

“Wells Fargo has team members who have family and friends living in West Africa,” said Tim Hanlon, head of Strategic Philanthropy and Partnerships for Wells Fargo. “As Ebola continues to be a concern in West Africa and elsewhere, we feel it is vitally important to support the ongoing efforts to stem the outbreak and to bring relief to those who are direct and indirect victims of it.”

International Medical Corps, which was established in 1984, is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization that works to relieve suffering and save lives through health care training, relief, and development programs. With headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in Washington, D.C., London, and field offices in more than 30 countries, the global first responder has delivered more than $1.8 billion of assistance in more than 70 countries over 30 years.

Team members from the Wells Fargo Black/African American Connection (B/AA Connection) are researching opportunities to assist communities with family members affected by the Ebola epidemic. B/AA Connection is an enterprise-wide team member network that helps provide insights about the African American segment to influence Wells Fargo’s business strategies and impacts that can make a difference in the community.

“Caring is a core part of our culture. We are all concerned about the devastation of this global epidemic,” said Jimmie Paschall, Wells Fargo’s head of Enterprise Diversity and Inclusion. “Our Black/African American team member network was instrumental in recognizing that we as a company could offer some level of support to help make a difference.”

“The Ebola epidemic touches all of our team members personally, through family members affected by it, and through concern for those who are on the front line, caring for those affected,” said Lisa H. Robinson, Wells Fargo’s head of Risk Management, Virtual Channels and Enterprise President of the B/AA Connection. “We continue to look at how we can partner and support these efforts through volunteerism and education in our local communities.”

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.6 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2014 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In 2013, the Company invested $275.5 million in grants to 18,500 nonprofits, and team members contributed more than 1.69 million volunteer hours around the country. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.

Source: Wells Fargo & Company

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(BPRW) Activists and Psychologists Intensify Efforts to Counter the Devaluing of Black Lives

(BLACK PR WIRE) – Community Healing Network (CHN) and the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) today announced the launch of an initiative called I Value Black Lives , in connection with this year’s celebration of Community Healing Days, on October 17, 18, and 19. I Value Black Lives is a call to action to bring an end to the dehumanization and devaluing of Black people in Ferguson, Missouri, and in communities across the country and around the world.

According to Enola Aird, president of CHN, “Race and skin color should not matter, but they do. Black lives should not be devalued, but they are-- which is why we need to be intentional about building a movement to value the lives of Black people.”

I Value Black Lives is a part of CHN’s continuing efforts, in collaboration with ABPsi, to build a global grassroots movement to overcome and overturn the lie of Black inferiority: the root cause of the devaluing of the lives of Black people.

I Value Black Lives builds on the late Dr. Maya Angelou’s Call to Wear Sky Blue
urging people to take a stand against the myths of White superiority and Black inferiority. In honor of Dr. Angelou, founding chair of CHN’s Board of Advisors, CHN and ABPsi call on Black people to Wear Sky Blue during Community Healing Days to show that we value our lives and that we are determined to move, as Dr. Angelou said, "beyond the pain of the blues to the sky blue of unlimited possibilities."

CHN and ABPsi also call on Black people to reach out to family and friends to encourage them to come together in small groups (during and after Community Healing Days) to envision that future of “unlimited possibilities.”

“We must focus on the restoration of our full humanity and, as a first step, we need to boldly envision a future in which Black people’s lives are truly valued,” said Daryl Rowe, president of ABPsi.

CHN–is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization working to build a global grassroots movement to help Black people overcome and overturn the lie of Black inferiority and heal from the emotional legacies of enslavement and racism. www.communityhealingdays.com

ABPsi–is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that promotes the profession of African psychology and develops programs to alleviate problems of Black communities and other ethnic groups. www.abpsi.org

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Former Black Panther leader Wayne Pharr

Wayne Pharr, former Black Panther who fought the Los Angeles Police in a historic gun battle in 1969, passed away on September 6, 2014 at age 64. After Pharr and his fellow Panthers defended themselves from the long violent attack by the newly formed LAPD SWAT unit, he became a political prisoner who was exonerated of attempted murder and all other serious offenses. Pharr eventually became a successful realtor in Southern California, a subject of the documentary, “41st and Central”, and most recently authored the well received autobiography, Nine Lives of A Black Panther: A Story of Survival.

In the infamous battle on December 8, 1969, a handful of young members of the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party held off the Los Angeles Police Department’s new Special Weapons and Tactics squad and hundreds of other officers in a five hour firefight. Pharr was 19 years old at the time and played a pivotal role in the battle as one of the first to repel the invasion into the Panther office by shooting the heavily armored SWAT team members with a shotgun as they entered the Black Panther office at Central Avenue and 41st Street. No one was killed or seriously injured in the battle during which thousands of rounds of ammunition were exchanged and bombs used by both sides. Observed by hundreds of members of the community, the Black Panther Party and their supporters considered the defense of the office and the people inside a victory while the Los Angeles Police Department considered this very first use of SWAT a tactical failure. Pharr and the other Panthers were tried for attempted murder and other charges but were acquitted of all of the most serious offenses after the longest jury trial in Los Angeles history up to that time.

The battle at the Panther Party Central Avenue office was significant for several reasons. The attack came days after another police assault in Chicago left Illinois Panther leaders Fred Hampton shot dead while sleeping in his bed and Mark Clark killed at the front door attempting to fend off the attack. These attacks occurred during a nationwide war against the Black Panther Party by local police agencies in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the FBI’s illegal Counter Intelligence Program, also known as “Cointelpro”. This was also the debut of the paramilitary SWAT team concept which used military style training, weapons and tactics to crush Black resistance during a time of revolutionary fervor and anti-war activity by activists across the country. Historically, this battle can be seen as the birth of the movement to militarize law enforcement that has swept the country.

In the documentary, “41st & Central”, Pharr describes his feelings about the 1969 battle with the LAPD SWAT team:

“So for those five hours, I was in control of my destiny... I was my own power at that particular point and time. And I relished that, and I enjoyed that and I think about that constantly. I was free! I was a free negro... yes sir!”
Recently, Pharr wrote the following reaction to the police response to community protests against the killing of unarmed 17 year old Black youth Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri:

“Are we Americans, or are we not? If we are, then the police need to stand down, like they did in 1968 with the SDS, Students for a Democratic Society–an activist group made up of white students. With that group, instead of coming in with guns blazing, they attempted to have a dialogue with the student-activists... If we are not Americans, then we need to go to war. The continuing militarization of police forces is a reminder of my encounter in 1969, the 5-hour battle we had with the newly-formed L.A. SWAT team at 41st and Central. It becomes a matter of principle, our right to self-defense.”

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MILWAUKEE, WI --- Longtime education activist Dr. Howard Fuller launched a new
website Aug. 18 to serve as a one-stop destination for information in anticipation
of his forthcoming memoir.

The book, No Struggle No Progress: A Warrior’s Life from Black Power to Education
Reform, is scheduled for publication on Sept. 9.

The website, www.howardfuller.org, built by Phone2Action, Inc. contains dozens of
photos from throughout Fuller’s life, as well as video footage of many of his
speeches and television interviews over the decades. It includes rare footage from
the 1972 African Liberation Day, a Fuller-organized event that drew an estimated
30,000 people to the nation’s Capital to support African nations fighting for their
independence.

“Soon after I began talking about writing my book, I envisioned this website,”
Fuller said. “I wanted a site that would be like a live companion to the book, a
site where readers could go to hear and see the sights and sounds of a different
era, a site that would make stories told in the book come alive.”

Fuller is a Distinguished Professor of Education at Marquette University in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he also is Founder/Director of the Institute for the
Transformation of Learning. The Institute’s mission is to support exemplary
education options that transform learning for children, while empowering families,
particularly low-income families, to choose the best options for their children.

He is a Co-Founder and Board Chair of the Black Alliance for Educational Options
(BAEO).

Fuller’s journey, chronicled in the book and on the website, began in the 1960s and
70s, when he worked as a community organizer for anti-poverty organizations in North
Carolina, founded Malcolm X Liberation University and became a powerful voice for
change in a frustrated generation of young Black men and women demanding “Black
Power.”

Fuller later returned to his hometown of Milwaukee, earned a doctorate, and served
as Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools from 1991 to 1995. Since that time, he
has become one of the nation’s leading proponents of parent choice, a range of
educational options that include charter schools and publicly-financed vouchers that
enable poor children to attend private and parochial schools.

Marquette University Press is the publisher of Fuller’s memoir, co-written with Lisa
Frazier Page, a New York Times best-selling author and former reporter and
assignment editor at The Washington Post. Fuller is in high demand as a speaker, and
the website will keep visitors updated on his speaking schedule, as well as enable
them to contact him.

However, Fuller said he is most excited about the site’s potential to attract young
people.

“I’ve spent so much of my life working with young people that it was important to me
to find ways to draw them to this project. Through the use of photography, audio,
and video, I hope this website does that!”

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ACTRESS VIOLA DAVIS JOINS THE SAFEWAY FOUNDATION AND
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION IN A CAMPAIGN TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER

- New PSAs are part of a year-round effort to spotlight and address childhood hunger, which affects one in five children in the United States -

March 27, 2014 -- Academy Award®-nominated actress Viola Davis together with The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) today launched Hunger Is, a joint charitable program designed to raise awareness and funds to fight childhood hunger in the United States. The year-round campaign encourages individuals and communities to get involved in solving a widespread problem that too often goes unnoticed.

“One in five children in America struggle with hunger -- that’s nearly seventeen million children. I was one of those children; I was the one in five,” said Davis. “I am honored to join The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to increase awareness and raise funds to help end childhood hunger.”

Funds raised through the initiative will go toward programs focused on eradicating childhood hunger and improving health-related outcomes. During the inaugural year, breakfast programs will be the focus, giving children a healthy start to their day and the best chance to excel.

Research shows that children who eat breakfast have better school attendance and achieve higher math scores than children who lack adequate access to food.

“It is unacceptable that millions of children in this country go hungry each day. The good news is that we can make a difference in their lives and send them to class ready and able to learn,” said Larree Renda, Safeway Inc. Executive Vice President and Chair of The Safeway Foundation.

Safeway shoppers will also have multiple opportunities to give during an in-store Childhood Hunger awareness fundraiser during the month of April at more than 1,300 Safeway stores across the United States.

“We are so grateful to Viola Davis for her profound generosity in sharing her personal story and lending her powerful voice to this campaign,” said EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen. “Too many kids are not getting the nutrition they need to reach their full potential, and we’re privileged to work with The Safeway Foundation to engage communities across the country in helping to change that.”

More information about the issue is available at HungerIs.org, along with simple ways for individuals to donate.

About Hunger Is
Hunger Is, a joint charitable program of The Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), is designed to build awareness and raise funds in an effort to eradicate childhood hunger in America. Funds raised through Hunger Is directly benefit programs focused on combating childhood hunger and improving health-related outcomes. For more information, visit www.HungerIs.org.

About The Safeway Foundation
Founded in 2001, The Safeway Foundation supports causes that impact our customers' lives. Safeway stores provide the opportunity to mobilize funding and create awareness in our neighborhoods through the generous contributions by our customers, our employees' passion and partnerships with our vendors.. We focus on giving locally in the areas of health and human services, hunger relief, education and helping people with disabilities. Safeway Inc. and The Safeway Foundation have invested $1 billion in our neighborhoods since 2001. For more information about The Safeway Foundation, visit www.safewayfoundation.org.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
Founded in 1942, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) is a multifaceted organization that occupies a unique place in the world of philanthropy. By mobilizing and leveraging the powerful voice and creative talents of the entertainment industry, as well as cultivating the support of organizations (public and private) and philanthropists committed to social responsibility, EIF builds awareness and raises funds, developing and enhancing programs on the local, national and global level that facilitate positive social change. For more information, visit www.eifoundation.org.

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Cap Black

For the record, contrary to the misleading image of American Blacks marketed by the liberal mainstream, I state the following:

I'm NOT a pro crime activist, so don 't ask me to join the latest hand wringing over the next Black thug to buy the farm.

Innocent victims, however, are another matter.

Security; personal, communal and cultural, is my sector of the civil rights movement.

I don't mentor nor invite Black boys and men old enough to know better to figuratively sit on my lap ( ugh! ) and whine about how unfair society is for actually holding them responsible for very real crime.

" Be your OWN Superhero!"
" Be your OWN Superhero!"
" Be your OWN Superhero!"
" Be your OWN Superhero!"

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Steve McQueen Named Polaris Project Ambassador

- 12 Years a Slave Director to raise awareness about modern slavery with Polaris Project
-

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, announced today that 12 Years a Slave Director Steve McQueen has been named an ambassador for the non-profit. McQueen will work alongside Polaris Project as an advocate against human trafficking, raising awareness that this is a modern-day problem that requires greater resources and action.

Since the release of 12 Years a Slave last fall, Polaris Project has worked with Fox Searchlight Pictures and Plan B Entertainment to raise awareness about human trafficking by highlighting the striking parallels between Solomon Northup’s story and the experiences of sex and labor trafficking victims today. Polaris Project is named after the North Star “Polaris” that guided people escaping slavery along the Underground Railroad.

“I am deeply honored to accept my role as an ambassador for Polaris Project. This is an organization that I truly believe is vital in fighting slavery today. From my first encounter with them, I was very impressed by their courage, determination and hard work,” said Steve McQueen, Director of 12 Years a Slave.

“We are delighted to welcome Steve as a Polaris Project Ambassador and look forward to continuing our work with him to raise awareness about modern slavery,” said Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project. “12 Years a Slave has amplified our national conversation about historical slavery. Steve shares our passion to help people understand that this issue is still with us today. Human trafficking exists in every state in the nation, from truck stops and motels to farms and small businesses. Steve's voice will help ensure victims of human trafficking know there is help and encourage community members to learn about modern slavery and call the national human trafficking hotline when they see it.”

Polaris Project hosted special screenings of the film in Washington, D.C. in October 2013 and in San Francisco in February 2014. McQueen and Myles also participated on a panel together, moderated by Rabbi David Wolpe of the Sinai Temple, following a screening at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles in November. Myles published an article about the film for CNN Opinion, which can be viewed here. 12 Years a Slave received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for McQueen.

Human trafficking is a thriving criminal industry, with traffickers making billions in profits by using force, fraud, or coercion to rob victims of their freedom. The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline, operated by Polaris Project, received reports of 5,214 cases of human trafficking in 2013 (read more 2013 statistics here). The hotline is a lifeline for victims of modern slavery and a resource for community members to provide tips and request information.

People can receive help, report a tip, or request information or training by calling the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or by sending a text to BeFree (233733).

###

About Polaris Project
Polaris Project is a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Named after the North Star "Polaris" that guided people escaping slavery along the Underground Railroad, Polaris Project is transforming the way that individuals and communities respond to human trafficking, in the U.S. and globally. By successfully pushing for stronger federal and state laws, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (1-888-373-7888), conducting trainings, and providing vital services to victims of trafficking, Polaris Project creates long-term solutions that move our society closer to a world without slavery. Learn more at www.polarisproject.org.

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NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER SIEGE BY STOP AND FRISK

The end of 2013 literally took the issue of STOP AND FRISK to the streets. This
effort was led by I AM TRIGG, recording artist, whose recently released single of
the same name caused an effective storm by issuing thousands of tickets on vehicle
windshields in some of the highest rent districts in New York City. These “tickets”
when scanned by recipients, directed them to TRIGG’s website where he delivered his
vocal outcry on the reform of this practice.

Last week, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton [during
their swearing in ceremonies] reiterated their intentions to repeal the practice of
Stop-Question-and-Frisk. According to The Guardian, Commissioner Bratton stated,
“…many in this [NYPD] department felt there was something wrong, it was just not
happening the way it should have. I think we can find the right amount where we have
a safe city, and communities and police that respect each other.”

“Stop-Question-and-Frisk is a troubling practice that has proven to be a
non-deterrent in the war on crime in New York City,” states I AM TRIGG. “We want to
keep the focus on our Administration to address this issue as the priority they gave
it when they campaigned.”

Aside from his music, TRIGG is a proud supporter of OQI Cares, a nonprofit
organization that engages at-promise youth through the use of S.T.E.A.M. (Science
Technology Engineering Art and Math) in an effort to reveal aptitude and realize
potential.

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There are rare opportunities that allow a person to interview the person that
he idolizes and respects in life. A man, even in death, his words can continue
to mentor, influence Blacks to reach their potential as a great people.
My opportunity to interview Ilyasah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X was
an awesome honor, humbling experience and reignited my passion to be a better
father, educator, mentor and community activist.

This unique opportunity afforded me an opportunity to get close to my inspiration
that today has influence on the minds and passions of millions of people globally.
I have for years read books, listened to Youtube videos, Podcasts and blogged
about the life and cultural influences of Malcolm X.

Malcolm X in March 1964

His passion for Black culture, the undeniable love for his wife and children, embracing the empowerment of education and teaching the historical contributions of Blacks
not just in America, but around the world. Malcolm X’s influence is felt even in the 21st century.
Ossie Davis at the funeral of Malcolm X reflected on him as “a Prince - our own Black shining Prince.”
I’m not a member of the Nation of Islam, I’m not a practicing Muslim, nor am I a closet Black Panther, what I’ am is a man who is learning that “if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything,” (Malcolm X).
Reading both the Christian Bible, and the Holy Qu’ran, learning about the life and teachings of Muhammad just as important the teachings of Jesus Christ, there is no conflict.

Collectively the teachings are heard in many speeches highlighted by Malcolm X. Learning about loving your brothers and sisters of diverse cultural colors and importantly to uplift all people especially those that are threatened with poverty and lack of
educational equality and economic along with political in-equitability.
Blacks suffered from these and more, Malcolm X using the power of voice and pen
sought to wake up Blacks and inspire them to be better then they were.

I believe that through education and sharing the life challenges and accomplishments
of Malcolm X this has allowed me to look at my life and see where I need to continue to mature and where I need to dedicate and in some cases rededicate my life to service in my community.
El Hagg Malik El Shabazz was not a complicated man; he was a man of purpose and passion. Malcolm X was sometimes misunderstood, feared and quoted with a
dialogue of cultural upheaval and society turmoil. Malcolm X’s words were fuel for the engines of freedom and independence that where also used by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Asa Phillip Randolph, and even Nelson Mandela.

The words were the foundation for Blacks to wake up and take ownership for their lives, not to rely on the government for handouts, welfare and second class citizenship. Blacks during these times and even
now need Malcolm X to inspire and motivate them, just as they needed Dr. King and Medgar Evers.
Malcolm X with his words of, “by any means necessary,” was not a statement of violence, but a passionate plea for Blacks to educate themselves and to unify their
communities.

In too many cases Blacks are feared because of the greatness that Blacks do not even comprehend that is inside themselves and their children. It seems that other cultures see the potential, but there are too many Blacks that are still in denial and blind to their abilities.
Malcolm X’s weapons were his words, the ability to communicate, to ignite passions in Blacks that were once thought extinguished by racism, prejudice and Jim Crow laws. Too many Blacks forget that if it were not for the words of Malcolm X, Blacks would be too scared to climb out the trenches of poverty, they would believe they could not learn and could not be educated, they would accept the status of ignorance and even embrace the fear of hatred thrust upon them.

Blacks are more than just property; Blacks are more than just consumers of products that distract them into genocidal killers because of music, clothes, shoes and drugs. Malcolm X spoke of this before Michael Jordan had his brand and Hip Hop was the so called music of young Black men and women.
Before there could be any real change, Malcolm X understood for Blacks there needed to be a psychological challenge; this change had to be strong enough to show Blacks that “you are as great as you say you are.” If Blacks heard it enough, thought it enough and said it enough with passion they would understand not to let others define you nor let others dictate where you can or cannot go.

Blacks have been taught to hate themselves, to hate their culture, their color and their ability to grow past poverty and ignorance. There needs to be a “decolonization” in the minds of Blacks.
Malcolm X attempted to show Blacks that there needed to be a “negotiable identity”
(Eric Lincoln). This identity is one of self, cultural and societal respect. The will to be anything and do anything that a Black person desires in the world.

The daughter of Malcolm X ilyasah Al-Shabazz is a example of a community organizer and activist, motivational speaker, and author of the book ”Growing Up X” 2002 and others soon to be published. Ilyasah promotes higher education, interfaith dialogue, and building bridges between cultures for young leaders of the world. She is the founder of Malcolm X Enterprises and is a Trustee for The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.

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Ban Ki Moon, General Secretary of the UN, Ilco Van der Linde, Founder of Masterpeace and Emmanuel Jal Founder of We Want Peace and other awardees at the UNCA dinner

‘We Want Peace was formed to raise awareness and create conscious awakening. I received this award to shed attention to the ongoing conflict and now pressing situation in South Sudan. Over the past few days, violence has erupted once more in my home country with the increasing sense that the democratic system put in place is being threatened by our own government’s action. Elected governors and parliamentary members have been dismissed, creating factions within the army and threats to civilian security. I implore that we must move forward to protect the democracy, human rights and freedom of our people. Our government has to remain transparent and accountable with an open dialogue between its representatives and the public. Once again this conflict has reached the core of my family and some of my friends have been killed. My sister has witnessed people shot in front of her children, and saw a soldier’s vehicle run over a young man trying to run for his life. She is now thankfully safe and I urge you all as peace soldiers to help prevent further violence by speaking out against these terrible actions and spreading a message of unity and peace to each other. The worst people on earth are not those who commit atrocities but those who turn a blind eye or bury their head in the sand.’ Emmanuel Jal, 18th December 2013.

December 18, 2013 New York: Masterpeace in conjunction with We Want Peace, received official recognition for its global peace-building efforts at the United Nations Correspondents Association Gala on December 18 in New York City. The award was presented by the U.N. Secretary General, Ban-ki Moon at the annual UNCA ceremony along with special awards to We Want Peace founder Emmanuel Jal, former child soldier-turned-hip-hop activist for peace and singer DMC (Darryl McDaniels). Stevie Wonder and Michael Douglas were also recognized for their humanitarian efforts. The UNCA awarded four “Excellence in Journalism” prizes to U.N. Correspondents.

In December 2010, Jal released We Want Peace, as part of the wider campaign of the same name calling for peace, protection and justice for all in Sudan ahead of the January 2011 referendum, but also calling for an end to all con?icts affecting innocent people around the world. The campaign was supported by A-list artists and leading gures from diverse fields – Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, George Clooney, Richard Branson, President Jimmy Carter, Ko Annan and many more.

In 2012 We Want Peace joined forces with Masterpeace to organize and host the first-of-its kind Peace Dinner and Concert in Juba, South Sudan on International Peace Day, supported by H.E Dr. Riek Marchar, Vice President of South Sudan alongside legendary US hip hop artist DMC. During the past year Emmanuel has been awarded the Calgary Peace Prize and the Humanitarian Award from the Hunt Institute and continues to tour hundreds of schools universities and communities as part of his 'We Want Peace' educational tour across the US, Canada, Latin America and Africa.

Emmanuel Jal performing We Want Peace to an ecstatic crowd at the annual UNCA gala dinner

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"No Guns Allowed" anti-gun violence campaign

Uncle Snoop (Snoop Dogg) and non-profit grassroots organization the League of Young Voters, brought their "No Guns Allowed" anti-gun violence campaign to the star-studded "green carpet" at the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. The League's street team hit the carpet and asked hip-hop's elite to discuss practical solutions to gun violence. Key figures in the game such as Nelly, Rich Homie Quan, Lil Scrappy, radio personality Angela Yee, and Snoop himself, all contributed their voices to the cause and provided thoughtful insight on this pressing issue that continues to plague our nation.

In light of Uncle Snoop hosting last night's highly-anticipated 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards, it would be great if you could check out the "No Guns Allowed" recap video below. The visual includes compelling celebrity and tastemaker drops which ideate around preventative gun violence measures. It would be great if you could share this content with your readers to emphasize the importance of acknowledging how rappers are using their celebrity to influence change on issues that negatively affect our communities.

In addition, please encourage your readers to share their stories about how they've been impacted by gun violence on the League's Tumblr page at: NoGunsAllowedMovement.Tumblr.com

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FLASH FLOOD FOR GOOD, A SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT RAISING AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR GLOBAL CLEAN WATER LAUNCHES AT THE 2013 CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE ANNUAL MEETING

- Every $10 Donation Raised During Flash Flood For Good Will Provide Clean Drinking Water For A Child for One Year in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Rwanda -

New York City – September 24, 2013 – Chelsea Clinton will take the stage at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting this afternoon to help launch Flash Flood for Good, a three-day social media call to action to raise awareness and funds for children in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Rwanda so they can receive clean water through the Procter & Gamble Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program distributed by leading water provider World Vision.

When the Flash Flood For Good is unleashed during CGI, the collective social media reach of more than 400 million will be activated over the 72 hour period. This initiative will focus the attention of global leaders, not-for-profits, NGOs, academics, celebrities, private sector partners, corporate brands and the public at large on the need for clean drinking water worldwide. Every $10 donation generated from Flash Flood For Good will provide one child with clean drinking water for an entire year.

P&G will work with implementing partner World Vision in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Rwanda to provide P&G Water Purification packets, creating clean drinking water in three easy steps. With the addition of one packet, in just 30 minutes, ten liters of dirty water filled with dangerous bacteria, viruses, and parasites from polluted streams and ponds, is treated and transformed into healthy water for children to drink. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv4ICG8oTLk to learn how dirty water is transformed into purified drinking water.

Global dignitaries, athletes, and entertainment personalities invite the public to visit and join www.flashfloodforgood.org so they can swell the tide for Flash Flood for Good by adding their digital voice to the call to action. Every person who adds their Twitter followers and Facebook friends during the 72 hour campaign can help positively impact the lives of children urgently in need of clean, safe drinking water by asking their followers to share their Posts and Tweets and urge them to donate funds.

The public is invited to join the Flash Flood For Good via www.flashfloodforgood.org to amplify the 72 hour awareness campaign. To donate online please go to www.flashfloodforgood.org. Text FLOOD to 41010 to make a $10 donation via mobile devices. Join the conversation, tweet and post a personalized call to action to donate using @FlashFlood4Good, @PG_CSDW, @WorldVision, @WorldVisionUSA, @cpbgroup, @ClintonGlobal, @BillClinton, @ChelseaClinton and @DrGregAllgood.

The Flash Flood for Good campaign is being driven by a new digital community platform, Cause Swarm, that aggregates social media feeds to raise awareness and funds for one common cause. To further boost reach, Procter & Gamble will amplify the campaign through social media and some of its brands.
“The idea behind the creation of the Cause Swarm digital platform is rooted in a 2,500 year old book of ancient wisdom,” said Cause Swarm and Flash Flood For Good creator David Clark, CEO of David Clark Cause. “In Sun Tzu’s classic ‘The Art Of War’ there is a basic tenant that says if you want to defeat an opponent, the best way to do so is to unify your forces, then overwhelm them. With Cause Swarm we use social media to unify people around a common purpose so they can swarm a social problem.”

“The community-based Cause Swarm platform leverages the latest technology and social media to seamlessly enable people to donate funds and their own social media feeds for those in need. In our effort to provide clean water for children around the world via Flash Flood for Good, we’re grateful that President Clinton introduced us to the P&G CSDW Program, so we have an opportunity to provide real-time impact, with a world-class partner,” said Andrew Keller, CEO of CP+B, the global Agency of Record for Flash Flood for Good.

P&G, makers of consumer brands like Tide, Crest and Olay has been working with partners to provide clean drinking water in developing countries for nearly a decade with its award-winning water purification technology. To date, clean drinking water provided by P&G has helped save an estimated 33,000 lives and prevented 250 million days of diarrheal illnesses as part of P&G’s Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action to provide clean drinking water to those who need it most. P&G continues to deliver on its commitment to scale up their efforts to save one life every hour by providing 2 billion liters of clean drinking water every year by 2020.

Procter & Gamble’s Chief Marketing Officer Marc Pritchard states: “At P&G, we innovate to make everyday life better, so providing our water purification technology to help save lives is the highest expression of who we are. We’ve seen this innovation make a difference in the lives of people around the world, and we’re excited to partner with Flash Flood for Good to share clean drinking water with children who need it most.”

“World Vision is excited to help launch Flash Flood for Good with this amazing network of celebrities, said Dr. Greg Allgood, Founder of the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program and now the Vice President of Water at World Vision. Providing the P&G water purification packets is an integral part of World Vision's work to provide clean drinking water to a new person in the developing world every 30 seconds and we're grateful for this support so that we can help even more people with clean water.”

ABOUT CAUSE SWARM
Cause Swarm is a community driven platform devoted to creating maximum social impact by harnessing talent and technology to rally people around important causes that deserve immediate attention. In order to address some of the greatest challenges of our time we create initiatives that inspire people to act, then enable them to do so seamlessly, by combining best practices with best providers. This solutions oriented approach activates and enables the grass tops, the grass roots, and everything in between, all to elevate the human condition. Visit www.causeswarm.com.

FLASH FLOOD FOR GOOD
Flash Flood For Good is one of Cause Swarm’s customized products (“branded swarm”) developed to raise awareness and donations for clean water around the world. The first Flash Flood For Good will be unleashed at the Clinton Global Initiative in NYC on September 24, 2013, and will run for 72 hours during the course of the summit. Visit www.flashfloodforgood.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

FLASH FLOOD FOR GOOD STRATEGIC PARTNERS
PROCTER & GAMBLE’S CHILDREN’S SAFE DRINKING WATER PROGRAM
The P&G Children's Safe Drinking Water Program (CSDW) is a non-profit initiative that has provided 6 billion liters of clean drinking water to people in need since 2004. To learn more about the P&G CSDW Program, and see how the water purification packets work, please visit www.csdw.org. For the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands, visit http://www.pg.com.

WORLD VISION
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision now reaches a new person with clean drinking water every 30 seconds.

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“This Labor Day weekend kick-off concert will honor working men and women and the businesses that believe in strong labor-management partnerships,” said Brian D’Arcy, Co-Chair of Working Californians. “Following the success of last year’s concert, Working Californians promises to deliver significant resources to support these worthy programs.”

Last year’s concert featured Crosby Stills & Nash and Tom Morello: The Night Watchman at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and was tremendously successful at raising thousands of dollars to promote the anti-worker rights initiative Prop 32.

“This second annual concert will unite performances, artists and action to raise awareness and help improve communities for working families,” said Marvin Kropke, Co-Chair of Working Californians. “We must fight to bring necessary attention and resources to these important causes. Today we are renewing this vital effort.”

Working Californians is a research and advocacy organization working to create an environment of innovation and entrepreneurship where working families, businesses and the economy thrive. WCA focuses on social innovation and entrepreneurship, economic recovery and low-income housing.

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Activists Block Traffic on West Side Highway Outside Verizon’s NYC HQ Over Company’s Tax Dodging, Advocacy for Cuts to Services for Low-Income and Middle Class Americans

- New York City Participates in National Week of Action to Expose Tax Dodging, Fight Back Against Corporations Advocating for Cuts to Public Services -

New York, NY: Community leaders were arrested today during a non-violent civil disobedience outside Verizon's NYC headquarters (located at 140 West Street at the West Side Highway) in order to out the company for it’s continued tax dodging and advocacy for brutal cuts to programs for America’s most vulnerable residents. The group demanded Verizon, and the coalition through which it advocates called “Fix the Debt,” stop advocating tax cuts for big corporations and budget cuts for the poor and middle class. Verizon is one example of why Congress needs to crack down on tax dodging corporations, not public services. The event is part of a national week of “Corporate Evil Outing” happening across the country.

"It's time to shut down corporate tax subsidies, not Head Start programs, HIV/AIDS housing assistance and food pantries," said Carl Stubbs, a VOCAL-NY leader from Queens who was among those arrested. "We need to send a message to elected officials that it's time to stand with families instead of Wall Street and big corporations in the upcoming budget showdown."

In mere weeks, Congress is set to debate the budget, with many advocating for a full-on government shutdown to force through more devastating cuts to services. The demonstration was meant to draw attention to the corporate interests controlling the debate through their allies in Congress, cutting backroom deals that benefit their bottom line while pushing cuts to schools, healthcare and other public services.

From 2008-2012, Verizon received federal tax subsidy of $7.3 billion. If they had paid their fair share in taxes, we could have for one year hired 30,676 teachers, provided 1.9 million kids with immunizations, enrolled 224,156 kids in Head Start, provided Medicaid to 1,077,491 people or hired 156,441 first responders. While advocating for cuts to Social Security through Fix the Debt, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam has retirement & pension funds totaling $8.7 million.

In addition to NYC, 9 other cities are participating in a national week of action outing corporate tax dodgers across the country and calling on them to pay their fair share. Corporations targeted include Verizon, GE, Bank of America, and Macy’s.

The following groups were involved in the protest: VOCAL-NY, National People's Action, ALIGN, Community Voices Heard, Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, and others.

This week’s actions are part of an ongoing campaign by economic and racial justice group National People’s Action and their affiliates to stop brutal budget cuts harming America’s most vulnerable—from seniors to veterans and from low-inco

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America may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the number of people who go hungry each day. A staggering 16 million kids in this country live in homes where food isn't a sure thing. They don't know where their next meal will come from -- or if there will be a meal at all.

This simply shouldn't happen in a nation as advanced as ours. That's why federal food assistance programs like SNAP (formerly known as the food stamp program) were put into place. They've ensured that no matter what else happens, Americans are able to meet their most basic human need. But now these essential food programs are under attack.

Last week, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to strip the nutrition title, which includes SNAP and other food assistance, from the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013. The House then passed the altered bill on a 216-208 vote.

This is very bad news. The SNAP program provides 47 million people with the assistance they need to buy the food our farmers grow. For nearly forty years, food assistance has been included in the Farm Bill, drawing bipartisan support and unifying urban and rural Americans by addressing common needs. As Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH) explained, "Farmers and ranchers need certainty, and so do the families and seniors who are struggling to put food on the table."

If SNAP isn't included as part of the Farm Bill, it will most certainly face deep, devastating cuts that will push vulnerable Americans closer to the edge.

This is exactly the opposite of what our leaders should be doing. At a time when millions of families in this country face joblessness and poverty, we need to work harder than ever to make sure they have a fighting chance. Too many Americans are still unable to make ends meet. By the last count, 42.7 million people -- 14.3 percent of our country's population -- had income below the poverty level. As these folks struggle to escape poverty and overcome hardships, they should at least be able to count on one thing: they won't go hungry.

Food isn't a luxury. It's a fundamental resource. Our country can't ever truly prosper or act as a leader in the global economy when our own kids don't have enough to eat. If we want to get America on its feet again, we need to first stabilize the growing number of vulnerable communities -- and that begins with food security.

Yanking food programs from the Farm Bill is an unprecedented move to further squeeze the most vulnerable among us: the hungry and the poor. While President Obama would likely veto a Farm Bill without SNAP, the threat to low-income Americans is very real.

It raises a fundamental question about what we value in this country. Making sure our neighbors and the children in our communities get enough food to eat -- no matter what else happens to them -- is a key part of the social contract that binds us together. It's one of our most basic moral obligations. And it shouldn't be up for debate.

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( Baton Rouge ) The Rev Raymond Brown, President of National Action Now! civil rights organization and Cap Black, its head civil rights responder, addressed nearly one hundred family and friends of the seven victims killed last year by Mr Brett Gerald, repeat DWI offender. (full story)

"I call out the Judge and DA of East Feliciana Parish State of Louisiana for gross misconduct of justice!!! " Rev Brown said to loud applause as he outlined allegations of racial bias in the reduced sentence Gerald received.
Echoing Rev. Brown, Cap Black added, " This case stinks of good ole bot politics; backroom deals and one life valued over others! "

The duo pledged their organization to helping the grieving families get justice

--
" Be your OWN Superhero!"

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Unlikely Allies: Greens Join Coal Miners In ‘Patriot’ Coal Fight

Today, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Missouri ruled in favor of Patriot Coal in its effort to eliminate collective bargaining agreements with its workers, effectively robbing thousands of retired and active workers and their families of the retirement health care benefits they were promised.

Green for All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins issued the response, below. If you would like to speak to GFA on Patriot Coal, please let me know and I can get you in touch.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Missouri ruled in favor of Patriot Coal in its effort to eliminate collective bargaining agreements with its workers, a move that would effective rob thousands of retired and active workers and their families of the retirement health care benefits they were promised.

Statement of Green For All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins

Today’s decision favors corporate greed over honest, loyal work. These workers have given years of service and have risked their lives in the coal mines, only to see the benefits they were promised stripped away. They deserve our support.

It is hard to imagine anything more unpatriotic than what Patriot Coal and its founding companies are doing. This represents the worst type of corporate abuse in America. Companies like Peabody Coal are raking in billions in profits, while leaving their own workers high and dry.

This simply should not happen in America. All of us have a moral obligation to demand that our leaders in government, in business, and in the court system protect these workers and their families.

Today’s decision is a setback, but it is not the end. We will continue to stand by coal miners and their families as they appeal the decision, and until they receive the benefits they were promised, and the respect they deserve.

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HERSHEY AND BARRY CALLEBAUT LAG INDUSTRY IN ADDRESSING CHILD LABOR

- Some Progress Is Being Made By Competitors; Industry Still Needs to do Far More -

March 14, 2013//Washington, D.C.- Based on data revealed this week at the Department of Labor's Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group (CLCCG), the non-profit groups behind the Raise The Bar, Hershey campaign (Global Exchange, Green America, the International Labor Rights Forum, and Oasis USA) concluded that while many companies have increased their commitments to reducing child labor in the communities they source from, others lag behind, notably Hershey and Barry Callebaut.

This week the CLCCG will wrap up its meetings for 2013. Over the last few days, chocolate companies; the Ivorian, Ghanaian, and US Governments; and civil society organizations have met to receive updates on the work that is being done by the cocoa industry and the Ivorian government to end child labor and trafficking on cocoa farms by 2020.

Following is a breakdown of the funds designated by each company to fight child labor in cocoa under the CLCCG framework. Programs and initiatives that are considered part of the industry commitment must be approved by the CLCCG and must be in line with the Framework of Action, which the companies signed in 2010.

Company

Total committed funds

Average commitment per year

Mars

$2.7 million committed for 2011-2013

$904,000

Mondelez (Kraft)

$2.32 million committed for 2009-2012

$508,000

Ferrero

$1.14 million committed for 2012-2013

$570,000

Nestle

$1.5 million committed for 2012-2015

$375,000

Hershey

$600,000 committed for 2011-2014

$150,000

Barry Callebaut

$300,000 committed for 2012-2014

$100,000

Hershey's commitment was only 17 percent of Mars' (its largest competitor in the US) and Barry Callebaut's was only 11 percent of Mars' commitment. Hershey, the largest chocolate maker in the United States, brings in over $5 billion in revenue every year. Barry Callebaut is one of the largest suppliers of chocolate in the world. As two of the biggest chocolate companies in the world, Barry Callebaut and Hershey are just as responsible as their counterparts for the atrocious labor conditions of the cocoa sector. And yet, both have been miserly when it comes to the fight to remove children from the cocoa fields of West Africa.

In addition, the NGO's critiqued the quality of Barry Callebaut's and Hershey's programs. Hershey's only initiative to fall under the CLCCG program requirements is the CocoaLink, program, which sends text and voice messages to farmers to discourage the use of child labor and encourage more efficient farming techniques. This program was launched in March of 2011 and to date has 3,720 subscribers registered in Ghana, where there are an estimated 700,000+ cocoa farmers. CocoaLink has reached less than 1% of cocoa farmers in Ghana, and no farmers in Cote D'Ivoire.

By Hershey's own testimony, only about one third of the text messages address social issues, a portion of which mention child labor. As there is still no evaluation report on this program, it remains unclear whether these messages have had any substantial impact on farmers' lives. In fact, Hershey's own anecdotal reporting suggests the program is slow to progress "due to low literacy levels and the general unfamiliarity with mobile phone usage."

Barry Callebaut's program aims to build two schools in two cocoa growing communities; a number that appears irrelevant compared to the estimated 36,000+ schoolrooms needed in these regions. No matter how many schools are built or how many health centers are staffed, the balance of power in the cocoa supply chain will remain in the hands of cocoa exporters and chocolate brands unless cocoa farmers can be empowered to negotiate a decent price for their crop. Until then, farmers will continue to live in poverty.

Additional information on this topic is available on ILRF's Blog and Green America's Blog.

About the Raise the Bar, Hershey! Coalition:
GREEN AMERICA is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. www.GreenAmerica.org

GLOBAL EXCHANGE is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. www.GlobalExchange.org

INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUM is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. www.LaborRights.org

OASIS USA is a non-profit organization committed to developing communities where everyone is included, making a contribution, and reaching their God-given potential. www.OasisUSA.org

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Michael Steele, the former Chairman of the Republican National Committee, has today committed to fighting a silent epidemic that plagues millions per year by joining the Board of Directors at Eniware LLC.

Eniware was founded to meet the desperate need for proper sterilization of medical instruments in the developing world, disaster and war zones. Eniware is developing a portable, electricity-free medical device sterilizer that will greatly reduce the amount of surgical site infections contracted in low-resource environments. Currently 1.3 billion people live without regular power, and hundreds of thousands die per year because scalpels, forceps, and other equipment is not properly sterilized.

Michael Steele believes that Eniware's technology is the solution to this ongoing, wide-scale catastrophe. Mr. Steele has joined the Board to ensure that those who live or work in low-resource areas will have the technology they need to prevent surgical site infections.

Washington DC – March 7, 2013 – Eniware LLC, a Washington DC-based provider of portable, power-independent medical instrument sterilization, announced today that Michael Steele, the former Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and co-founder of Purple Nation Solutions, has joined Eniware’s board of directors.

Michael Steele was elected Lieutenant Governor of Maryland in 2003, becoming the first African-American elected to state-wide office and again with his subsequent chairmanship in the Republican National Committee in 2009. Under Michael’s leadership, the RNC broke all prior fundraising records and in 2010 the Republican Party picked up the greatest number of seats in the House of Representatives since 1938. In 2012, Mr. Steele co-founded Purple Nation Solutions, Inc., a public relations and strategic communications firm, with former White House Counsel Lanny Davis, and Emmy award-winning media & communications professional Eleanor McManus.

“Michael Steele is a visionary and iconic leader. He has blazed many trails in his career, and Eniware looks forward to benefiting from his wisdom and expertise,” said James Bernstein, MD, CEO of Eniware. “Michael’s guidance will be an invaluable asset in Eniware’s quest to make safe surgery a reality for the 60% of the world’s population without electricity.”

“Eniware is an extraordinary company with an urgent mission,” said Michael Steele, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee. “I feel fortunate to join such a vital and necessary enterprise. Eniware’s portable sterilization technology will make a tremendous impact on lives around the globe.”

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Georgetown Law Center, Steele is a regular commentator and political analyst for MSNBC and has served as a contributor on Fox News Channel. He has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and his writings on law, business and politics have appeared in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times and Politico.com.

Co-Founded in 2011 by James Bernstein, MD and Huma Malik, Eniware’s patented technology will provide portable, power-free and affordable sterilization of medical instruments in low-resource settings such as the developing world, disaster zones, and in combat arenas. Currently, no such technology exists and millions have suffered from preventable surgical site infections.
To learn more about Eniware please visit www.EniwareSterile.com.

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GMO Salmon

Late last year the FDA quietly took a major step toward approving the "frankenfish," AquaBounty's genetically modified salmon.

Its approval would be a radical move by the FDA - the first genetically modified animal ever to enter our food supply. It's no wonder the FDA posted its final review, clearing the way for approval, on the Friday before the Christmas holiday, when few people would notice.

The FDA is now taking public comments on its study, which is expected to lead to approval of the frankenfish. This is our last chance to keep GMO salmon off our grocery store shelves, and stop the dangerous trend of introducing GM animals into our food supply.

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- "The worst thing to have happened to Africans is not the colonization of our resources and people or the recent genocides; it is that our history has been stolen and hidden from us." -Emmanuel Jal
#CUSHFORWARD
-

Following up the widely received video for "We Want Peace - Reloaded," (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysl2vD__ySc) internationally renown musician and Peace activist Emmanuel Jal brings us the video for "Cush," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DCrczIbFAg)
the latest single off of his 2012 release, See Me Mama. Rescued from the ravages of being a child soldier at war, Jal was placed in the expanding sanctuary of school, and it is his experience that education has been the defining difference between war and peace, oppression and freedom. Jal uses his music, which he describes as unleashing a childhood joy, not only to celebrate but also to educate and the imagery in the video for "Cush" make use of the rich & long forgotten history of the Kingdom of Cush, Emmanuel Jal's homeland in South Sudan.

Known in the Bible as the "land between two rivers" Cush is one of the oldest civilizations on the planet, and from which so much was taken and can be seen in all civilizations since, including Ancient Egypt, (when it was thought for centuries to be the other way around). "Cush" is a powerful visual expression of Jal's tremendous pride in his homeland and his vision for moving forward as a strong vibrant peaceful people with a visceral connection to their magnificent past. #CUSHFORWARD is Jal’s new peace campaign for 2013, and he encourages people to participate. There are many ways individuals can take part and support:

Become a Peace Soldier
“Share” and or Tweet a link to this video and #CUSHFORWARD
For those seeking more info on “Cush” and the history there is also more info on the Kingdom of Cush on the We Want Peace website: http://wewantpeace.org/services/cush/

About Emmanuel Jal:
In the war-torn region of Southern Sudan, Emmanuel Jal was born into the life of a child solider. Through unbelievable struggles, Emmanuel managed to survive and emerge as a world-famous recording artist with a hit record under his belt. Called an artist "with the potential of a young Bob Marley" by Peter Gabriel, he has performed at Live 8 and Nelson Mandela's 90th b-day concert. His music can be heard in major motion pictures, TV, and he's been featured in major outlets like TIME, USA Today, NPR, CNN, MTV, & the BBC. Emmanual is also a spokesperson for Amnesty International and Oxfam, and created the charitable foundation, Gua Africa .

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OAKLAND, Calif. – Green for All (GFA) is kicking off The Dream Reborn Song Competition today to honor the legacy and call to service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The contest lifts up the voices of young artists calling for economic, social and environmental justice.
Artists will submit their songs through the GFA website and the three songs with the most “likes” will be among the finalists considered for the grand prize – $1,000 and the opportunity for GFA’s award winning video production team to produce and pay for the song’s music video.

The Ludacris Foundation will work with GFA to judge the three finalists. Judges will evaluate the songs based on how well they tap into the themes of community power, self-determination and making a change.

“Music has been and always will be a critical part of our movement for justice,” said Green for All Campaign and Partnerships Manager Julian McQueen. “The competition allows us to give aspiring musicians the chance to use their voices for social justice, like Dr. King, and to shoot a clean music video without cleaning out their bank accounts.”

In the past, GFA shot music videos for “The Dream Reborn” by Markese, “A Change is Needed" by the Climate Change Crew, and "7 Billion” by last year’s Dream Reborn Contest winners, Silent C and Invest. These inspirational videos can also be found on the GFA contest page.

“We should all have access to living wage jobs, healthy food, and clean air and water,” said last year’s Dream Reborn Contest winner, Invest. “Since I grew up without any of these things, Green For All’s mission resonated with me and I wanted to plug into the movement in the best way I could. The Dream Reborn contest presented that opportunity.”

About Green For All
Green For All is a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through a clean energy economy. The organization works in collaboration with the business, government, labor, and grassroots communities to create and implement programs that increase quality jobs and opportunities in green industry – all while holding the most vulnerable people at the center of its agenda. For more information, please visit www.greenforall.org.

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The articles on this website are provided for information purposes only. BlackRefer.com does not accept any responsibility or liability for the use or misuse of the article content on this site or reliance by any person on the site's contents. Use at your own risk.

No Implied Endorsement:
BlackRefer.com does not endorse or recommend any article on this site or any product, service or information found within said articles. The views and opinions of the authors who have submitted articles to BlackRefer.com belong to them alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of BlackRefer.com.

BlackCelebrityGiving.Com... BlackCelebrityGiving.Com is frontier in providing news, videos and photos of celebrity philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, fundraisers and causes that directly correlate with the black community.http://www.BlackCelebrityGiving.com

Black On Black Crime Coalition...Our mission is to promote and nurture individuals in areas of education, economic and community development, healthcare issues, public safety and race relations.http://www.hhscenter.org/bonbstat.html

Gumbo For The Soul...Gumbo For The Soul is a savory blend of anthologies that focus on humantarian issues effecting communities worldwide! From education to adoption and everything in between, we will bring inspirational and informative publications that promise to spark change, heighten awareness and offer resources and resolutions to the issues we outline.http://www.gumboforthesoul.com/

Harry Williams ... Harry Williams is currently a counselor serving the homeless, recent immigrants, the financially ship-wrecked, survivors ofdomestic violence, victims of violent crime, those wrestling with drug abuse and mental illness, as well as ex-felons. His first novel, Straight Outta East Oakland II, is his second novel. He is a visiting preacher at correctional institutions and founder of Hood Movement 21: an organization dedicated to empowering the urban poor.http://www.revharrywilliams.com/

History of Black Activism...History of Black Activism website.http://www.abc.net.au/message/radio/awaye/stories/s881711.htm

National Action Network...National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. http://nationalactionnetwork.net/

Pan-African Alliance ...Formerly United Black America, the Pan-African Alliance is dedicated to spreading Black consciousness and developing tools and resources to bring tangible benefits to Black men and women both in Africa and abroad.http://panafricanalliance.com/

Save Nubia Project ... The mission of the Save Nubia Project (SNP) is to help raise national and international awareness about the pending flooding of ancient Kushite and Nubian civilizations in the Sudan. http://www.savenubia.org/

TerryHowcott.com...Black people and families, and Black Same Gender Loving couples and families. Broad and Black is the theme. Asset map is a social Work term. A Thinker’s Greenspace is the site’s publishing page. http://www.terryhowcott.com/

The Paul Ernest Show ...Paul Ernest Show Blog entertainment. http://www.paulernestshow.com/